


Innocent Until Proven Guilty

by Sandycastle



Category: Bonanza/Ponderosa
Genre: Gen, Parental Spanking of a child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 03:25:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11073075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandycastle/pseuds/Sandycastle
Summary: Sparky is wrongly accused of mischief





	Innocent Until Proven Guilty

I thank David Dortort for the use of his Bonanza characters. Sparky is my own creation and I protect him. I made no profit from this little fic.

Innocent until proven guilty

Ben Cartwright’s 6 year old adopted son Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright, known to friends and family as Sparky because of his quick temper stood there in front of his father.  
“Young man, I want to know how the chickens got out of the pen and I want to know now!” The boy’s Papa asked in a controlled low voice.

The child trembled. “I don’t know Papa. I didn’t do it!” 

The little boy’s Papa eyed him. “Aren’t you responsible for the chickens young man?”

“Yes Papa, but I latched the pen after I was finished gathering the eggs. I always do!” The little mite cried frantically.

“Then explain to me why they are all over the yard instead of in their pen.” The Cartwright patriarch demanded placing his hands on his hips.

Tears gathered in the child’s large grey eyes. “Papa, I truly don’t know!”

Young Joe Cartwright stood around the corner of the house peeking out a little so his father and brother couldn’t see him. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He had slipped into the chicken pen earlier after his little brother had gathered the eggs to get the ones that weren’t fit to eat in order to get together with Mitch Devlin and Seth Pruitt and egg old man Windsor’s house. The old man had been really awful to them, chasing them with a shotgun full of rock salt, trying to pepper their backsides just because they wanted to pick apples from his apple tree. They had nearly missed catching those blasts of rock salt in their britches this time. 

“Nicholas, you gather up every last one of those chickens and put them back in their coop. When you’re finished you may wait in the corner for me. You know the punishment for lying young man!” Ben pointed to the chickens scratching for bugs in the yard. 

Little Sparky began gathering up the chickens. 

Joe slipped back behind the house. He didn’t want his little brother to see him. He didn’t know what to do.

Sparky gathered each chicken, tears in his eyes. He was going to be spanked for something he didn’t even do.

Hop Sing watched from his kitchen window. He had seen Joseph sneak into the chicken pen earlier and come out with a basket full of eggs. He had wondered what the youngster wanted them for, but had learned over the years to allow the boys to make their own mistakes. 

When Sparky finally completed his task he walked slowly back to the house, dragging the toes of his shoes in the dirt, not wanting to be punished for something he hadn’t done. 

When Ben came back into the house he was upset by not finding his youngest son standing in the corner as he was supposed to be. He was in front of the fire looking into it instead. 

Joe had seen his father go into the house and slipping into the kitchen he peeped through the door. He jumped when he heard a soft voice behind him say, “Boy let baby brother take punishment for something he not do. That very bad Joe.” Hop Sing looked at the boy with arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

Joe Cartwright knew what he had to do. He glanced into the great room and saw that things had gone from bad to worse. His little brother was crying now and continuing to protest his innocence. When Joe saw his Pa pull the little mite over his knees and getting ready to pull down his pants Joe stepped into the room. He knew he had to confess. He knew it wasn’t fair for his baby brother to take punishment for something he didn’t do.  
“Pa! Stop! He’s innocent! Pa, I left the pen unlatched.” Joe exclaimed.

“Joseph, don’t interfere!” Ben scolded.

“No, Pa, It’s true!” Joe tried to get his father to believe him

At that moment Hop Sing stepped out and said in his quiet voice, “Mister Ben make big mistake. Little boy no do. Number three son guilty. Hop Sing see him go into chicken pen and come out with basket of eggs. Bad eggs.” Hop Sing brought out the basket of rotten eggs from behind him to show to Ben.

The elder Cartwright embarrassed pulled his youngest child from his prone position over his lap and now upright, cuddled him instead. “I’m sorry baby, Papa almost made a very big mistake. I forgot that a person is innocent of a crime until proven guilty. It looks like it’s your brother who is guilty and will be getting the spanking instead.” Ben held the little mite until he stopped crying wiping away his tears with a handkerchief. “Can you forgive Papa Sparky?”

The little boy with his blonde hair and large grey eyes smiled up at his Papa. “Yes Papa. Are you really going to spank Joe?”

“Yes son, he deserves it for letting this go this far and Papa wants to know what your brother wanted a basket of rotten eggs for.” Ben replied.  
He put the child down and said, “I think Hop Sing may have some cookies and milk for you if you ask nicely.”

“Yes Papa.” The Littlest Cartwright said as he went into the kitchen.

Ben then eyed his young son. “Joseph, explain to me what you wanted a basket of rotten eggs for. Remember the penalty for lying young man.” 

Joe looked down at the carpet, then met his father’s eyes and explained about old man Windsor. 

“I see. Now you may add stealing to your lie of omission that almost got your baby brother spanked.” Ben intoned.

“I’m sorry Pa. I promise I won’t do something like this again.” Joe tried.

“No Joseph. You’re only sorry you got caught. If the chickens hadn’t gotten out because you forgot to latch the pen firmly then you would have continued on with your mischief with the eggs.” Ben again locked eyes with his son. 

Joe looked away and sighed. “Yes Sir.”

Ben then commanded, “Joe, take down your jeans and come over to me.”

Joe unfastened the buttons of his jeans with trembling fingers and slid them down.

Ben pulled the boy across his lap and then, pulling down the youngster’s underpants, placed his palm on the quivering globes. “Do you know why you are getting this spanking young man?” Ben asked.

“Yes Sir, for letting Sparky get into trouble when it wasn’t his fault and planning mischief with the rotten eggs.” The youngster said tremulously.

“Good.” The elder Cartwright said and began the spanking. He spanked hard and continued to do so until his son was wailing and kicking and squirming over his knee. When Joe’s bottom was the shade of red that matched a ripe cherry and the child was limp over his lap Ben gave him several more swats to his sit spots and pulled him into his arms until he stopped crying. 

“Are you okay son?” Ben asked, stroking his back.

“I’m okay now Pa. I’m sorry Pa.” Joe apologized again.

“I know you are son. You’re forgiven and I don’t want this to happen again do you understand?” Ben asked.

“Yes Sir, I won’t ever do anything like this again. I wouldn’t want anyone to be punished wrongly, after all a person is innocent until proven guilty.

The end.


End file.
